Paint-mixing device.



G. P. FITZSIIVIMONS.

PAINT MIXING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FlLED DEC. I5, 1914.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

TOR

T Ilium-mugs,

MA ATTORNEYS NTED STAES GEORGE P. FITZSIMMONS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PAINT-MIXING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1%, 1916.

Application filed December 15, 1914. Serial No. 877,295.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. Frrzsnrmore, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paint-Mixing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tocharacters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvements inreceptacles or containers; and the invention relates, more particularly,to a novel construction of paint-can adapted for marketing readymixedpaint. 1-

The invention has for its principalobject to provide a container or canfor paint ready prepared for use having internally arranged meansconstructed to enable the user of the paint to thoroughly mix the same,and to loosen and stir up or mix through the paint the sediment oringredients thereof which have settled in and even hardened in thebottom of the container or can as a result of the long standing of thesame on the shelves of the dealer.

The invention has for a further object to provide a mixing means orelement in combination with the commercial paint-can or container, whichis simple and cheap in con struction adding little to the cost of thecan, and which is peculiarly eflicient in construction and operation forthe purpose of both loosening the settled and hardened paint ingredientsin the bottom of the can and then thoroughly mixing said ingredientswith the liquid content of the can.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time moreparticularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the followingdetailed description of the said invention.

The present invention consists, primarily, in the novel construction ofcombined commercial paint can and mixing element there for hereinaftermore fully set forth; and, furthermore, this invention consists in thevarious arrangements and combinations of the several parts thereof aswell as in the details of the construction of the same, all of whichwill be more fully described in the following specification and thenfinally embodied in the claims which are appended to and which form anessential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a side elevation of the novel construction ofpaint-can made according to and embodying the principles of my presentlnvention. Fig. 2 is a top View of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalvertical section of the same; and Fig. 4 is another longitudinalvertical section taken at right angles thereto as indicated by thesection line 41 in said Fig. 3, in said Fig. l: however, the can isshown opened to permit the application of a crank-handle to the mixingelement of the can.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character 1' indicatesany usual form of can-body, the upper end of which is closed by acover-member 2, secured to the can-body l in any suitable manner. Whendesired the can-body 1 may be equipped with the ordinary carrying bail 3connected therewith in any of the usual or suitable ways.

Centrally disposed within the interior of the can-body, and upon thebottom 4 thereof, is a bearing-thimble 5 provided with the bearingopening or perforation 6. Also secured within the interior of thecan-body, in any suitable manner, and spaced slightly below the uppermarginal edge of the canbody, is a diametrically extending cross-bar orbrace 7 provided with the bearing opening or perforation 8.

The reference character 9 indicates a vertical rotatable yoke memberprovided throughout its length with the elongated transverse opening 10.Connected with the lower end of said yoke-member is a journalpin orportion 11 which is journaled in the bearing opening or perforation 6 ofsaid bearingthimble 5. Extending upwardly from the upper end of saidyoke-member 9 is a spindle-member 12 which is journaled in said bearingopening or perforation 8 of said cross-bar or brace 7. The upper or freeend of said spindle -member 12 projects bar or brace through an opening13 provided in said cover-member 2 so as to be exteriorly disposed orprojected above said cover-member. Arranged upon said spindle-member 5is a washer ll, of any suitable resilient or flexible material, such forexample as rubber, leather, fiber, etc. A compression spring-membersurrounding said spindlemember, and disposed between said cross- T andsaid washer l-L forces the latter in close contact with the under sideof said cover-member 2 so as to extend over and close said opening 13against the flowing or passing of any of the fluid contents 15 ofthecan-body therethrough should the latter be displaced from its normalupright position. An additional precaution against such leakage isprovided by a second washer 16 arranged upon said spindle-member and 20pressed downward in contact with the upper or outer surface of saidcover-member 2 so as to extend over the opening 13 thereof. Secured uponthe upper surface of said cover-member 2 is an upstanding circularflange or collar 17 adapted to surround and inclose the outwardlyprojecting end'of said spindle-member 12. Said flange or collar 17 isprovided with a closing memberor cap 18, which closes over thespace'inclosed by said flange or collar. This closing member or cap 18may be secured in place by solder, or any desirable form of mechanicalmeans, and is adapted to be cut away or otherwise removed when access tosaid upwardly projecting end of said spindle-member 12 is de sired, forpurposes to be subsequently described. Said free upper end of saidspindle-member 12 is preferably provided with a squared or rectangularportion 19 adapted to receive the operative connection of an operatingcrank-handle or rotating-means 2O therewith. Connected with saidyoke-member 9 so as to be rotated thereby is a mixing element comprisinga body adapted to extend transversely through an opening 10 of saidyoke-member. a series of transverse interconnected loopmembers 21vertically alined one with the other and capable of a vertical springaction This body comprises or spring like expansion or compression in avertical plane. The arm 22 of the upper of said series of loop-members21 is secured to said yoke-member 9 within its opening 10 in anysuitable manner, either by solder or mechanically and being thus securedanchors the upper end of the mixing element in rigid connection withsaid yokemember, and thus retains said mixing element in operativerelation to said yoke-member so as to be revolved thereby when saidyoke-member is rotated. Connected with the lower of said series ofloop-members 21 is a transversely extending scraping element comprisinga series of vertically disposed and transversely alined loop-members 23providing a series of downwardly extending scraping points or fingers24. As shown in the drawings the above described members of said mixingelement are preferably formed from an integral wire rod bent in properconformation, such material providing a requisite degree of resiliencywhereby the expansion and compression of the mixing element may beobtained, but it will readily be understood that so long as theessential operation or function of vertical expansion and compression isretained said mixing element may be made of any other suitable materialor form.

Before the can is filled with paint, the mixing element is compressed tothus be moved upwardly in the opening 10 of said yoke-member 9, andthereby raise the scrap ing points or fingers 2i away from and space thesame away from the bottom of the can, and in order to retain the samecompressed and under the tension of its contracted loop-members 21 astay or block of light and buoyant material, such as cork or light wood,is inserted between the mixing element and the bottom of the can. Thecan may be now filled with the paint and sealed by its cover member 2.As is well known ready mixed paint when left standing for anyconsiderable time precipitates to the bottom of the recep acle in whichit is contained the heavier and non-soluble portion of its ingredients,thereby causing the mass in the bottom of the can to become thick andeven in some cases hardened while the fluid in which the ingredientswere suspended becomes thin at the surface of the filled can. It isfrequently very diflicult, after opening a can of paint in such acondition to thoroughly mix the precipitated mass with the fluid and sothat the same is properly suspended in the latter, and much waste isentailed by the inability of the user to thoroughly stir up and mix thecontents of the can.

Paint put up in cans constructed according to my present invention asabove de scribed, may be thoroughly mixed again and all waste eliminatedby means of my novel mixing element. First the closingmember or cap 18is removed to expose the end of the spindle member 12 so that anoperating crank-handle 20 may be applied thereto, as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. It will be borne in mind that the compression of themixing element maintains the scraping points or fingers raised or spacedfrom the bottom of the can, thus providing a space in which the sedimentor precipitation of the paint ingredients settles, so that the latter isnormally below said scraping points. or fingers. Now by turning the 25,andimmediately the transverse loops 21 being freed exert their normaltension which tends to expand the mixing element and cause the scrapingfingers or points Q-l to move downward The stay or block 25 becomingloosened from the bottom of the can floats up to the surface and out ofthe way. The tension of the mixing element causes the scraping points orfingers 24: to grind upon the thick or hardened sediment orprecipitation in the bottom of the can gradually loosening the same, sothat as the loop-mem bers 21 1'evolve, such sediment or precipitation isthoroughly agitated in the fluid content of the can until thesame isproperly suspended therein. It will thusbe apparent that not only do theloop-members 2lserve when under compression or tension to movedownwardly the scraping-points toward the bottom of the can as themixing element is revolved, but they also serve in their lateralextension when revolved in thecan to provide efficient agitating meansfor stirring and again intermixing the loosened precipitation with thefluid content of the can. After the above :mixing operations have beencompleted, the cover-member 2' of the can-body 1, may be removed andaccess to. the thoroughly mixed paint content of the can obtained. 1

I am aware that some changes may be made in the arrangements andcombinations of the parts of my present invention, as well as in thedetails of the construction of the same, without departing from thescope of this invention. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exactarrangements and combinations of the parts as described in the foregoingspecification and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, nor do Iconfine myself to the exact details of the construction of the saidparts.

I claim 1. In a device of the kind described, a can-body, a centrallylocatedvertically disposed rotatable yoke-member having an openingforming a longitudinal slot therein, bearings therefor, and a transversemixing clement mounted in the slot of said yokemember so as to berevolved thereby, said mixing element being capable of compression andexpansion in a vertical plane within said slot of said yoke-member.

In a device of the kind described, a can-body, a centrally locatedvertically disposed. rotatable yokc -member, bearings therefor, atransverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member so as to berevolved thereby, said mixing element being capable of compression andexpansion in a vertical plane, and means for retaining said mixingelement compressed to normally remove its lower end from the bottom ofthe can. i

3. In a device of the kind described, a

can-body, a centrally located vertically disposed rotatable yoke-member,bearings therefor, a transverse mixing element mounted in saidyoke-member so as to be revolved thereby, said mixing element beingcapable of compression andiexpansion in a vertical plane, means forretaining said mixing element compressed to, normally remove its lowerend from the bottom of the can, and means for rotating said yoke-memher.7 I a 4, In a device of the kind described, a canbody, a centrallylocated vertically dis posed rotatable yoke-member, bearings therefor, atransverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member so as to berevolved thereby, and a plurality of downwardly projecting scrapingfingers connected with the lower end of said mixing element, said mixingelement being capable of compression and expansion in a vertical plane.I

5 In a device of the, kind described, a can body, a cent ally locatedvertically disposed rotatable yoke member. bearings therefor, atransverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member so as to berevolved thereby, a plurality of downwardly projecting scraping fingersconnected withthe lower end of said mixing element, said mixing elementbeing capable of compression and expansionin a vertical plane, and meansfor re,- taining said mixing element compressed to normally raise saidscraping-lingers above the can-bottom.

6. In a device of the kind described, a canbody, a centrally locatedvertically disposed rotatable yoke-member, bearings therefor, atransverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member so as to berevolved thereby, a plurality of downwardly projecting scraping fingersconnected with the lower end of said mixing element, said mixing elementbeing capable of compression and expansion in a vertical plane, meansfor retaining said mixing element compressed to normally raise saidscraping fingers above the can-bottom, and means for rotating saidyoke-member.

7. In a device of the kind described. a canbody, a cover-membertherefor, a centrally located vertically disposed rotatable yokemember,bearings for said yoke-member, a spindle-member connected with the upperend of said yoke-member adapted to project exterior-1y through saidcover-member, a transverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member soas to be revolved thereby, a plurality of downwardly projecting scrapingfingers connected with the lower end of said mixing element, and meansadapted to be connected with said spindle-member for rotating saidvokemember.

S. In a device of the kind described, a canbody, a cover-membertherefor, a centrally located vertically disposed rotatable yokeiz-t)member, bearings for said yoke-member, a spindle-member connected'withthe upper end'of said yoke-member adapted to pro ect exteriorly throughsaid cover-member, a transverse mixing element mounted in saidyoke-member so as to be revolved thereby, a plurality of downwardlyprojecting scraping fingers connected with the lower end of said mixingelement, means adapted to be connected with said spindle-member forrotating said yoke-member, and an inclosing means connected with saidcover-member for normally inclosing and covering the exteriorlyprojecting end'of said spindle-mem- 9. In a device of the kinddescribed, a canbody, a cover-member therefor, a centrally locatedvertically disposed rotatable yokemember, bearings for said yoke-member,a spindle-member connected with the upper end of said yoke-memberadapted to project exteriorly through said cover-member, a transversemixing element mounted in said yoke-member so as to be revolved thereby,a plurality of downwardly projecting scraping fingers connected with thelower end of said mixing element, said mixing element being capable ofcompression and expansion in a vertical plane, means for retaining saidmixing element compressed to normally raise said scraping-fingers abovethe can-bottom, and means adapted to be connected with saidspindle-member for rotating said yoke-, member.

10. In a device of the kind described, a can-body, a cover-membertherefor, a centrally located vertically disposed rotatable yoke-member,bearings for saidyoke-member, a spindle-member connected with the upperend of said yoke-member adapted to project exteriorly through saidcover-memher, a transverse mixing element mounted in said yoke-member soas to be revolved thereby, a plurality of downwardly pro jectingscraping fingers connected With the lower end of said mixing element,said mixing element being capable of compression and expansion in avertical plane, means for retaining said mixing element compressed tonormally raise said scraping-fingers above the can-bottom, and meansadapted to be connected with said spindle-member for rotating saidyoke-member, and an inclosing means connected with said cover-member fornormally inclosing and covering the exteriorly'projecting end of saidspindle-mem- In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above Ihave hereunto set my hand this 11th day of December, 1914.

GEORGE P. FITZSIMMONS.

Witnesses:

F REDK C. F RAENTZEL, FREDK H. W. FRAENTZEL.

